MS Dhoni takes the bull by the horns

Trent Bridge (Nottingham): Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni faced the media with his team-mates and support staff in tow at Trent Bridge on Friday to come up with a statement that denied Dhoni having any rift with his deputy Virender Sehwag.

With barely concealed contempt for the fourth estate, Dhoni's latest gesture pits him against a faceless rival who is sensitive to any attack on its freedom or access to news or newsmakers.

A few, and not everyone, had speculated upon his relationship with Sehwag. But Dhoni's statement made no distinction between them nor did he take care to add "a section of media" as offenders in his public announcement.

In a way, Dhoni's has been a perfectly characteristic reaction. He likes to take the bull by the horns. As he did with national selectors when RP Singh was dropped and Irfan Pathan included in the one-day series against England earlier this year.

Or when he went ballistic, stating he was "disgusted" at a selection meeting leak by one of the selectors.

He unfailingly chides poor performances of his mates in public. So when he thought media had stepped out of line, he decided to challenge them in public.